The population of the town of Carsonville is prone to anolymnia, a mild illness caused by tick bites. The population of Carsonville is expected to increase by 30 percent over the next three years. The local pharmacy intends to increase the purchase of anolymnia medication by only 10 percent during that time. The pharmacist predicts that this increase will be enough to ensure that the incidence of the disease does not increase. Which of the following, if true, provides the strongest evidence for the pharmacist’s prediction?